Wednesday, June 24, 2009

"Just wanted to update you on the progress of the MLB.tv archive issue I emailed you about a week or so ago. After a number of emails to Bob Bowman (MLBAM President and CEO) and over 100 posts related to this issue on the MLB.tv support forum, MLB has decided to relent and revamped their policy to allow the archives of out-of-market games to be available immediately following the end of the game. As I understand it, in-market games will continue to fall under the 90 minute delay policy."

Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean what you might THINK it means, given the blackout map to the right (click it for a larger version).

If you want to read the 110+ postings on this topic at the MLB.tv forums page(s), please click here. What's most telling is that their forum moderator/support guru kept having to make posts like these:

"I cannot provide you any further information as I do not know the specifics of the policy."

"I do not have specific information as to exactly why the policy has changed."

"If you'd like, you can contact our Customer Service Department"

Lovely.

[If you are from MLB.tv or MLBAM and would care to comment on the change in policy, please email me. I am looking for the "official" change in policy document. Thanks!]

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MLB's rule on suspended players

H. Suspensions1. For purposes of this Section 8, a "game" shall include all championship season games, the All-Star Game and post-season games in which the Player would have been eligible to play, but shall not include spring training games. For a Player whose contract has been assigned to the Minor Leagues, a "game" shall include all Minor League regular season games for which he would have been eligible to play. A Player shall be deemed to have been eligible to play in the All-Star Game if he was elected or selected to play; the Commissioner’s Office shall not exclude a Player from eligibility for election or selection because he is suspended under the Program.